Toy building construction.



A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26. 1914.

Patented July 3, 1917.

@Ad AN Flltl.

ALFRED C. GILBERT, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. C.GILBERT C0., OF NEW HAVEN, CQNNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,533.

To all 'whomz't may concern:

Be it known that I. ALFRED C. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy BuildingConstruction, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to building construction, and more particularlyto a toy building construction which simulates in appearance the modernstructural steel used in building sky scrapers, and for similarpurposes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a channeled strip forthe purpose indicated, which, while structurally different from thewell-known commercial structural members, is adapted to be combined witha plurality of like elements 1n such a manner that a very closesimulation of a modern steel framework can be readily built. Moreparticularly, my object is to provide a channeled bar or strip which maybe very readily assembled and connected with other strips to form aboXlike element simulating a box girder of structural steel. By myimprovemcnts a framework formed of a plurality of such boxlike elements,or glrders, may be built from the individual members or strips, withmaximum facility and convenience, and with the use of a minimum numberof connecting or fastening devices, and yet the resulting structure willbe very strong and rigid.

The inventlon also aims to furnlsh a separable toy box-girder or columncomposed of comparatively few parts, which when assembled simulates veryclosely a large lattice girder or column of well-known commercial typemade up of a large number of parts.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel featuresand combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed In theaccompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of a short box girder embodying myimprovements.

Fig. 2 is a similarview taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a to plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a ragmentary detail of one 01 the bars or strips from whichthe girder is constructed, looking toward the rear or channeled facethereof.

.Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig.

Fig. 6 shows one of the strips attached to another strip forming part ofa box girder, for the purpose of continuing the construction of thegirder in a lengthwise direction.

Fig. 7 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 6 turned through 90, and iFig. 8 is asection on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing. 10 is a strip or bar preferably formed of thinsheet metal, portions of which are stamped out, as shown at 11, topresent truss members 12, integrally connecting side members 13extending parallel to each other at the margins of the strip. The sidemembers 13 are provided with flanges 14 at the side edges or the strip.The median portion of the strip. including the diagonal truss members12, and the solid end portions 15, is bent inward out of the plane ofthe side members 13, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to present, in connectionwith flanges 14, parallel grooves, seats or channels 16, extending alongthe margins of the strip, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be observedthat the flange 1 1 is of a width substantially equal to or slightlyless than the width of the channel 16, so that the flange 14 willreadily fit or engage within the channel 16 to form an interlock in themanner shown in Fig. 3.

The side walls of the channel part are sloped or inclined so that thethin flexible open-work strips may be nested one within the other oroverlap and interfit as shown in Fig; 8. Viewed from another standpoint,

the strip may be regarded as a substantially flat member havinglongitudinally extending channels therein at the same face of the strip,and at, or adjacent, the side edges thereof. Small bosses 17 arepreferably punched in the side members of the strip to presentprojections near the junctions of the truss members, which projectionssimu late the rivets used in structural steel work.

For the purpose of connecting a piuralit of strips together to form abox girder, d of connecting a plurality of girders together, the solidportions 15 at the ends of the strips are provided with perforations 18.When a box girder is to be built up, the strips are assembled in themanner shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that two strips are placedopposite each other, with the channels of and that said strips areconnected by nutted bolts 19. There is one bolt at each end of thestructure, passing. through the corresponding perforations 18. Betweenthe outer oppositely located strips -just mentioned, two inner stripsare set in to complete the boxlike structure. The utility of the sideflanges ll and grooves 16 is now apparent, for the flanges 1a of thelast named strips may be securely fitted in the grooves or channels 16of the first named strips in the ananner shown, so that when the nuts 20of the bolts 19 are tightened, a strong, rigid box girder is provided.Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that. the oppositely located strips10 are clamped together by the bolt 19 on the strips 10 which serve asspacing members for the strips 10. The strips 10", on the other hand,are prevented from outward dislocation relatively to the box structureby the marginal flanges 14 of the strips 10 and said strips 10 areprevented from displacement in an inward direction relatively to the boxstructure by the snug engagement of the flanges 14 in the grooves 16 ofthe members 10". Thus,

'it will be seen that the four members of i the box structure may befirmly and rigidly interconnected by a single fastening member, such asa bolt, at each end of the structure.

In continuing the construction of the box girder in a lengthwisedirection, a plurality of strips of the kincl described may be connectedlengthwise with that part of the girder which is already assembled. Thisoperation is facilitated by the fact that the side members 10", shown inFig. 3, may he slid lengthwise in the grooves 16 of the members 10. InFigs. 6 and 7. I have shown one of the strips 10 extended upwardly to acertain extent for the connection of a similar strip 10. 'Thisconnection may be effected by a single nuttcd bolt 21, passing throughthe registering opening 18 in the overlapping ends of the strips, asshown. After this connection is made, the strip 10'" is lowered to theinitial position. When the strips are overlapped at the ends. they are.nested together with the channels of both strips facing in the samedirection, and while the strips, being identical in crosssection, willnot at first conform to each other. the flexibility of the spring metalfrom which they are made will enable the side flanges to yield andpermit the strips to conform closely to each other when they are drawntogether tightly by the bolt 21, as clearly shown in Fig. r. lnconstructing a long bar. formed by a plurality of channeled stripsinterconnected at the ends. the bar can be made quite rigid when onestrip is connected to the next by a single fastening member. such as abolt 21, for turning inove- Inent of the strips relatively to eachotherv channel member or bar, made up in sections, with the use of aminimum number of fastening members, as well as a. strong but simple boxgirder likewise having a minimum number of fastening members. All ofthese features are of importance in providing aconstruction which may bereadily assembled to form the numerous and. varied constructions forwhich this building system is intended.

It will be noted from Fig. 3 that the strips of each block or toy boxgirder are freely detachable at all times by the removal of the bolts;that all of the strips are alike in so far as they are interchangeablewith each other; and that in forming the box girder all of the stripsmay be brought laterally to a definite assembled position, without thenecessity of sliding any of them into place by a lengthwise movement.The outer strips 10 may be obviously used as the inner strips ifdesired, and may be set in between the strips 1,0 because, as stated,all of the strips are interchangeable, being of substantially the samewidth and having the same channels and flanges at opposite edges.Furthermore, it will be noted from Fig. 3 that while outwarddisplacement of the inner strips is prevented by the flanges of theouter strips, inward displacement of the inner strips, which would causecollapse of the block, is prevented by the snug fit of the side flangesof the inner strips in the channels of the outer strips. The channelsare all substantially of the same width as the side flanges, so thatwhen the parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 3, the side flanges ofthe inner strips cannot move either inward or outward.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe the modifications whichmay be adopted within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

'1. In a toy construction block, the combination of a plurality ofidentical strips constituted by light sheet metal plates, each of saidplates having integral bent up portions presenting longitudinal seatsadjacent the side margins of the strip, two of said strips opposing eachother with the seats of one strip fac ng those of the o posite strip. another pair of said strips being arranged opposite each other between thestrips of the first pair with their seats located at the inner facesthereof so as to oppose each other, the side margins of the strips ofthe second pair being engaged in the seats of the strips of the firstpair, 30 that the stripsof said second pair are prevented from movinginward or outward relatively to the box-like structure, and fasteningmembers passing through the ends of the strips of the first pair forsecuring all of said strips detachably together in box-like form;substantially as described.

2. In a toy construction block, the com bination of a plurality ofidentical strips constituted by light sheet metal plates, each of saidstrips having flanges bent up-thercfrom at both margins, and groovesadjacent the respective flanges, two of said strips having their groovedfaces opposing each other and forming an outer pair, another pair ofstrips having their grooved faces opposing each other, and set inbetween the-strips of the first pair to space the latter apart, with theflanges 0f the second pair engaged with but laterally separable from thegrooves of the first pair, and fastening members passing through theends of theouter strips for securing all of said strips detachablytogether in box-like form, said strips being freely separable from eachother in a lateral direction when said fastening members are removed;substantially as described.

3. A toy building block, comprisingfour identical and interchangeablestructuralelements, each formed of a light sheet metal plate havingupturned side flanges and longitudinal grooves or channels adjacent saidflanges, two of said plates having their channeled faces opposing eachother and forming an outer pair, another pair of plates having theirchanneled faces opposing each other and their flanges engaged with thechannels or grooves of the plates of the first pair and means forfastening said plates together in the relation specified, comprisingremovable bolts passing through the ends of the plates of the firstpair; substantially as described.

4. A toy building element, comprising a miniature structural memberconstituted by a light sheet metal strip cut out to present a pluralityof integral truss members, said strip having integral means bent upthere? from adjacent the side margins thereof which present longitudinalseats arranged in parallelism and adapted to receive therein themarginal portions of similar strips to prevent inward and outward dislacement thereof, said strip being provide at each end with a centralperforation; substantially as described.

5. A toy building clement, comprising a miniature structural memberconstituted by a light sheet metal strip having flanges .l'llilningalong the side margins thereof, whereby the strip is given a channeledcross-section, said strip having a central perforation at each end andbeing cut away throughout a considerable portion of its length topresent a plurality of integral diagonals, said strip being bent upintermediate the cutaway portion and the respective side flanges topresent a longitudinal groove adjacent each flange, said grooves beingadapted to receive in the bottoms thereof the marginal flanges ofsimilar strips to prevent inward and outward displacement thereof;substantially as described.

6. A toy building element, comprising a light sheet metal strip havingbent up flanges extending along the side margins thereof. whereby thestrip is given a channeled cross section, said flanges being slightly.divergent to facilitate the nesting of two or more strips, said stripbeing stamped out througlr out a considerable portion of its area topresent a plurality of openings, and the strip being bent upintermediate the cut-out portion and the respective side flanges topresent shoulders forming in connection with said flanges longitudinalgrooves, said grooves adapted to receive in the bottoms thereof themarginal flanges of similar strips to prevent displacement thereof;substantially as described.

7. An element for use in connection with similar elements in toybuilding constructions, comprising a strip of thin flexible materialhaving its body part cut out at intervals forming an open-workstructure, each side of the strip having a longitudinally extendinggroove or channel, and the opposite walls of the channel being separateda sufiicient distance to receive therebetween the outer wall of thechannel of a strip of like construction when arranged at substantiallyright angles tothe first mentioned strip, whereby to preventdisplacement thereof.

8. In a toy building construction, an element for use in connection withelements of like construction, said element comprising an elongatedstrip of flexible metal having a longitudinally extending depressedportion at each side thereof forming receiving channels or grooves, theouter side walls bordering said channels being inclined in oppositedirections whereby to receive therebetween inclined walls of flanges ofstrips of like construction.

'9. In a toy construction block, the combination of a pair of lightflexible sheet metal strips, arranged-oppositely with respect to eachother, each of said strips being cut away for a considerable portion ofits length to present a plurality of integral diagonal members, andbeing provided intermediate the cut-away portion and the respectiveextreme side margins with integral bent portions presentingloglgitudinal seats, the seats of one strip arranged to face those ofthe other strip, a second pair of similar cutaway strips set in betweenthe strips of the first pair to space them apart and having their sidemargins so engaged with the longitudinal seats of the first named stripsthat the strips of said second pair are prevented from moving inward oroutward relatively to the box-like structure, and fastening memberspassing centrally through the ends of the first named strips fordetachably clamping the same on the second strips and thereby securingall of said strips detachably together in box-like form, the firststrips being free from connection with each other intermediate the endfastening members; substantially as described.

10. In a toy construction block, the combination of a pair of stripsopposing each other, each strip having a pair of longitudinal seatsfacing a similar pair of longitudinal seats on the other strip, a secondpair of similar strips set in between said first strips to space themapart, and having their side margins engaged with the longitudinal seatsof said first strips, the seats of the first strips formed with bent upmarginal portions cooperating with the seats to prevent inward andoutward displacement respectively of said second strips, each of thestrips of the first pair being provided at the respective ends withcentral perforations, and a. single fastening member passing throughsaid perforations and clamping the first strips on the second strips ateach end of the structure so as to secure all of the strips together inbox-like form, without separate spacing members, substantially asdescribed.

combination of two strips of flexible light sheet metal both havingbentup side flanges and presenting a channeled cross-section,

"said strips being initially of identical crosssection and having theiradJacent ends overpressure of said fastening member, and .7

form in eflect a continuous thin light strip: substantially asdescribed.

12. In a toy building construction, a pair of miniature structuralchannel elements arranged end to end but partly overlapping each other,both of said elements comprising light flexible sheet metal stripshaving bent up side flanges, said strips being initially of the samecross section, and having end open ings adapted to register, and theflanges of each strip being slightly diver ent to facilitate the nestingtogether of t e strips, the divergent flanges of one strip fittingwithin and against those of the other strip at the point where thestrips overlap, and a fastening member passing through said registeringopenings of the strips at their over lapping ends and clamping themtogether; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 24th day ofJanuary, 1914.

ALFRED C. GILBERT. Witnesses:

HENRY E. ROCKWELL, M. Omve WILLIAMS.

